Peta offers £2,500 reward for information on alpacas shot dead in South Cambridgeshire village

A four-figure sum is being offered to catch those responsible for shooting and killing four alpacas in a “cruel and callous act”.

Owner Dawn French said the six-acre field in East Hatley, near Gamlingay, where the animals were found looked like “a massacre” with the alpacas shot in the head “like an execution”.

It is believed the four alpacas - Calvin, Klein, Martha and Juniper - were shot with a .22 or higher calibre rifle.

A sheep was also “massacred by dogs” and a fifth alpaca received a gunshot wound to its face, but survived, in the horrific incident between 6pm on Saturday, 22 March and 8.30am on Sunday, 23 March.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals group (Peta) is offering a reward of up to £2,500 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those involved.

PETA vice president Elisa Allen told the Cambridge Independent: “It’s imperative that any community faced with a cruel and callous act such as this take measures to find the culprit and bring them to justice.

“Animal abusers are a danger to everyone: they take their issues out on whomever is available to them – humans or other animals – and must be caught before they act again.”

Dawn and her husband Brian have a smallholding with sheep, chickens and geese.

Their overflow field had six alpacas and two sheep. One of the sheep was lying badly injured in a ditch and later had to be put to sleep. The other sheep was hiding in a hedge.

Sergeant Tom Nuttall, from the Rural Crime Action Team, added: “This was a highly distressing crime that has caused death and serious injury to defenceless animals.

“I would encourage anyone who knows anything about this offence to get in touch as soon as possible.

“I am thankful to PETA for providing this generous reward in the hope it will lead to the successful conviction of those responsible for these animal’s deaths.”

Anyone with information or anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity around the time of the incident or who may have CCTV or dashcam footage, which they feel is relevant, is urged to get in touch with police, quoting reference 35/20844/25.

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.